Listing machine



Jan. 13, 1931. o. D. JOHANTGEN LISTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 25, 9 2

[72 149% 602 02a 0197 19 d/za'rz {yen Patented Jan. 13, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OLIVER D. JOHANTGE N, 01' LAKE BLUFF, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB CHINE 00., A. CORPORATION 01 ILLINOIS LISTING CHINE Application filed September 85, 1922. Serial No. 590,38Q.

The invention relates to listingmachines of the typejhaving a separate row of keys for each order, the object of the invention being to permit the use of the keys in certain rows for controlling the printing of characters which do not appear in or affect the amount of the printed total. In some cases, as when a listing machine is employed for recording and accumulating the amounts of individual sales, it is desirable that the printed items should be marked, as by prefixed characters or the like, to indicate, for example, the clerk who made the, sale and the department or stock from'which the sale is made, in accordance with some predetermined plan.

Since a listing machine of the type indicated has nine keys in each row, it follows that a wide range in the selection of prefixed characters will be ermitted, without unduly limiting the capacity of the machine, if one or more of the rows of keys at the left hand side of the keyboard are employed for con trolling the printing of the said identifying characters.

The invention accordingly contemplates a listing machine in which one or more of the said left-hand rows of keys are each asso ciated with a rack and printing hammer, as usual, but with the said printing hammers independent of all other printing hammers and operable only u on the depression of a key in the correspon ing row, while the racks are without influence upon the totalizer. The latter requirement is readily accomplished by the omission of register wheels in the part of the totalizer associated with the said rows of identifying character keys. On the other hand, since the total taking operations of a listing machine are usually accompanied by a release of all of the racks without the .depression of character keys, and movement of the racks is commonly relied upon to control the operation of the corresponding printing hammers, special provision must be made to hold the racks associated with the said rows of identifying character keys against movement in total. taking to prevent the printin of an inappropriate character with the tota In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the machine taken indicated by the line 1-1 on Fig. 2, but showing some parts located in front of the said plane, the'case or cover being removed and some features of the machine of well known construction, and not particularly pertaining to the invention, being omitted; V

I ig. 2 is a detail plan view drawn to a larger scale but partly broken away;

Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing one of the rack-holding pawls and an associated hanger separated from other parts;-

and

' Fig. 5 is a detail face view of the record tape showing an example of the form of record produced thereon.

Except for the said omission of certain register wheels'and the provision of means for preventing movement of the racks, as 10, 11, which are associated with the rows 12, 13, of the said identifying character keys, the totalizer, generally designated 14;, may be of the form shownin Patent No. 1,306,112, for adding machine, dated June 10, 1919. As in said patent, the totalizer 14; extends across the frontend of the machine, and the employed register wheels, as 15 16, thereof are arranged along a spindle 1 supported at its opposite ends in a swinging frame 18 having movement in a vertical plane.

In accordance with the usual practice, the totalizer 14 is actuated from an oscillating transversa control shaft 19, to lower the register wheels, as 15, 16, into the path of the corresponding racks, as 20, during rearward movement of theracks, in the item printing and accumulating operations of the machine, while, upon depression of the total key, as 21, the register wheels are lowered for engagement with the said racks during their forward movement. Any convenient form of mechanism may be employed for accomplishing these movements of the totalizer. As

we vlc-roa ADDING iuprincipally on the-plane shown, the swinging frame 18 is supported at by a disk 28 which is mounted upon the adj acent end of the said control shaft.

In the item printing and accumulating operations of the machine the stud 27 is idle, and the stud 26 is used both for raising and lowering the totalizer. I In these operations the free end of the link 25 is engaged by the stud 26 at the beginning of the return move ment of the control shaft 19, and a forwardly facing shoulder 29, formed on the link 24, is engaged by the'stud 26 as the control shaft approaches the limit of its said return movement. Upon depression of the total key 21 the links 24 and 25 are both depressed, the link 25 being idle and two oppositely'facing shoulders 30, 31, on the link 24, being respectively engaged by the studs 26, 27, at the beginning of the forward and return movements of the control shaft 19. This mechanism embodies improvements upon the corresponding parts shown in patent No. 1.336,840, for listing machine, dated April 13,-

1920, the said improvements being made the subject of. my concurrently filed application for patent on non-add'a:nd total key mechanism for listing machines.

In the item printing and accumulating op- 'erations of the machine, the racks 10, 11, associated with the rows 12, 13, of identfying character keys, move forwardly in accordance with the depression of keys in the corresponding rows, the said forward movement of the racks being limited in the usual way, as by the engagement of one of a series of. stop shoulders, as 32, formed on each rack bar, with the stem (not shown) of the depressed key. To prevent forward movement of the racks 10 and 11 in total taking, until after the total has been printed, a pair of spring pawls 33 are provided, one for each rac Preferably the pawls 33 are pivotally mounted upon the spindle 17 of the totalizer 14. They are thus normally supported out of the path of the corresponding racks 10, 11, and are so held during forward movement of the racks in the item printing and accumulating operations of the machine. Likewise, since the pawls 33 face in a rearwardiy direc tion, they do not interfere with the return movement of the racks 10, 11, while the remaining racks, as 20, are being returned and are coacting with the register wheels, as 15, 16. As shown, the two racks 10, 11, and all of the remaining racks, as 20, are returned by the horizontal rearward movement of a transverse rod 34, which extends through a slotted opening 35 in each rack. Forward movement of the racks is accomplished, as usual, by a separate spring, as 36, associated with each rack.

As the invention contemplates that identifying characters corresponding with those upon a selected one of the keys in each of the rows 12 and 13 will be printedwith each item,

no devices are shown for holding the racks 10, 11, against movement upon forward movement of the rod 34 in the item printing and accumulating operations of the machine. If desired, however, locking devices for this purpose, similar to those (not shown) employed for holding each of the remaining racks, as 20, against movement when'no numeral key, as 41, is depressed in the corresponding row, may be provided. )Vhen such locking devices are employed they are, of course, released by the depression of any key in the corresponding row, and the locking devices for all of the racks,"including the racks 10, 11, will be released by depression of the total key 21, as shown, for example, in Patent No. 1,336,840, already mentioned.

1n this connection it will be understood that in total taking the spindle 17 of the totalizer is elevated at the beginning of the return movement of the control shaft 19, whereby the pawls 33 are lifted out of engagement with the racks 10, 11, and these racks are no longer held against movement, whether the said locking devices are provided or not. The racks 10, 11, are accordingly permitted to move forward under the influence of their springs 36, to meet the rod 34 on its return movement. However, as the total will have been printed when this occurs, forward move ment of the racks 10, 11, at this time is immaterial.

The pawls 33 (Fig. 3) are conveniently made in the form of U-shaped members having the part, as 37, which cooperates with the corresponding rack, projecting downwardly and rearwardly from the cross-member of the U, while the two arms of the U are pivotally engaged with the spindle 17.

If each pawl 33 is made to conform in width 1 with the space occupied by one of the register wheels, as 15, and the associated carrying device, as 38, the arrangement of the retained register wheels, as 15, 16, upon the spindle 17 will not be disturbed by the omission of register wheels to cooperate with the racks 10 and 11.

Downward swinging movement of the pawls 33 is limited by the engagement therewith of hangers 39 (Fig. 4), suspended from a tie-rod, as 40, which extendsbetween and connects the ends of the totalizer frame 18, the said tie-rod 40 being located in rear of and above the spindle 17. The hangers 39 mav be uniform with other hangers 42, located between register wheels, as 15, 16. These last-mentioned hangers serve as latches for controlling the operation of the said carrying devices, as 38, and as stops for arresting the reverse movement of the register Wheels at zero, in total taking, as in Patent No. 1,306,112. In fact thehanger 39, associated with the rack 10, serves as a stop for limiting the said reverse movement of the next adjacent register wheel, as 15 (Fig. 2), in addition to its function of providing a stop for limiting downward swinging movement of the corresponding pawl 33.

As shown, each hanger 39 has a bifurcated head 43, through which the tie-rod 40 is extended. A lateral projection 44, at the lower end of each hanger 39, serves for engagement with a shouldered stop finger 45, wh1ch extends rearwardly from the corres ondmg pawl 33 and at one side of the same Fig. 3). lhe lateral projec'tion44 on the hanger 39, associated with rack 10, also cooperates with the cam shoulder and stop finger projection 51 formed on the side of the adjacent regisier wheel 15, as will be readily understood.

- The springs 46 for controlling thepaw'ls 33 are connected at one end to an upwardly projecting part 47 of the pawl, and at the other end to alug 49 formed on the stem of the corresponding hanger 39. Preferably the shoulder, as 50, formed on the stop finger 45 of each pawl 33, is deep enough to prevent forward swinging movement of the associated hanger 39 by the spring 46, even when the stop finger 45 is lifted by the engagement of 'the pawl with the rack 10 or 11, upon depression of the totalizer. Likewise the stop finger 45, formed on the pawl 33 associated with rack 10, must be long enough to prevent disengagement of this finger from. the corresponding. hanger 39 when this hanger 1s swung rearwardly by cam engagement therewith of the cam shoulder and stop finger projection 51 on the adjacent register wheel 15, as this register wheel turns from nine to zero.

The part'of the machine commonly re-' ferred to as the listingattachinent' includes independent vertically adjustable type bars, as 52, one for connection'with each of the racks 10 and 11. As these type bars'may be exactly alike except for the kind of type characters, as 53, formed thereon, only one is shown in the drawing. Each type bar 52 is preferabl also uniform with the typebars, as 56, provided for number printing, except as to the number and kind of type characters formed thereon, the type bars 52 each having only nine characters, and theseconform, of course, with those appearing upon the keys n the corresponding row, as 12 or 13.

Each type bar 52 is pivotally connected at its lower end to one arm .of a bell-crank lever 54, and a link 55 connects the other arm of the bell-crank lever 54 with the correspondng rack, as 10. One arm of the bell-crank lever 54 is formed with a series of projections 61, and intermediate spaces, resembling gear teeth, for coacting with the rectifying frame, .as 62. The rectifying frame 62 is arried by crank arms, as 63, mounted on a transverse rock shaft 64, these parts being the same as those employed in connection with the number printing devices.

A separate printing hammer, as 57, is associated with each type bar 52. These printing hammers may be constructed and operated as shown in Patent No. 1,336,840, except that no means is provided for tripping an adjacent hammer. As shown, each hammer 57 is pivoted upon a transverse rod 58, and

These latches have a swinging movement at the end of the forward stroke of the control shaft 19, but this movement serves to release the latch from the hammer only in case the corresponding rack 10 or 11 has been moved. As shown, each latch 65 is formed with a rearwardly projecting abutment 66 intermediate its ends. In case the, corresponding rack 10 or 11 has been moved, abutment 66 fulcrums on one of the projections 61 of the bell-crank lever 54, while if the corresponding rack has not'been moved abutment 66 moves idly over the top of. the bell-crank lever 54, and the corresponding printing hammer is not released.

The said swinging movement is imparted to the latches 65 through'the connection of these latches with the rectifying frame 62, the

rectifying frame being moved by the engagement of a crank-arm 67 on the control shaft with another crank 68 on the rock shaft 64. The hammers, as 57, are restored by. a stout spring (not shown) acting upon the restoring rod\69. The restoring rod 69 also has connection with a swinging frame 80, to move the restoring rod clear of the hammers in advance of the engagement of the crank arm 68 by the crank arm 67. 4

In the item printing and accumulating opeach of the rows 12 and 13, in accordance with the identifying characters desired to be pEinted with the item; Upon actuation of t.

e machine, as by the usual handle (nots own), the rod 34 moves forward to permit forward movement of the racks, including the racks 10, 11, during forward movement of the handle. Control shaft 34 also moves forwardly during forward movement of the handle, as usual. When the handle approaches the limit of its forward movement,

the printing hammers. 57 are released and the item printed upon the record tape,-as 70, will appear as'at 71 or 72 (Fig. 5), wherein the first character, as 73, may serve to designate the clerk responsible for the item, the

carbon back, may be supported in front of iio 0 v is actuated by a spring 59, the blow of the 105 eratlons of the machine, a key is depressed in a the record tape 70, as by being placed in hooks, as 77, mounted in front of the platen 78. In such cases the said sales slip 7 6 receives the original impression of the item and dentifying characters, while the impression (1 or 72, made upon the record tape 70, is a carbon copy, all as more fully described and claimed in my concurrently filed application for patent on sales recording method and apparatus therefor.

Since the characters appearing upon the keys in the rows 12 and 13 will not be appropriatd to a total, no keys in these rows will be depressed when the total key 21 is used. Under these circumstances, however, the racks 10, 11, will be held against movement by engagement with the pawls 33 when the totalizer is depressed at the beginning of the operation. There being no movement of acks 10 and 11 during the forward movement of the handle, those printing hammers, as 57, which are associated with type bars 52 will not be released, but the total, as (Fig. 5) will be printed, as usual, when he handle approaches the end of its forward stroke. Movement of the racks 10, 11, when they are released from the pawls 3-3 by the raising of the totalizer as the handle begins its return stroke, is of no consequence.

I claim as my invention 1. In a listing machine having a plurality of rack-bars, a printing device controlled by each rack-bar, and a spindle carrying a digitwheel movable into and out of engagement with one of said rack-bars for item and total listing, the combination with said spindle of a pawl movable therewith for coaction with the other rack-bar upon the engaging movement of said frame for total listing, to prevent said last-named rack-bar from moving its printing device to a printing position.

2. In a listing machine having a plurality of rack bars, printing devices adapted to be controlled by each of the rack barsfor item printing, totalizer wheels cooperating with certain of the rack bars, and a movable spindle on which the totalizer wheels are mounted for movement therewith into and out of engagement with certain of said rack bars, the combination of said movable spindle, a pawl mounted on said spindle for coaction with one of said rack bars to hold it against movement in one direction to prevent the same from moving its printing device to printing position.

3. In a listing machine having a plurality of uniform rack bars operating in a common plane, a totalizer frame movable toward and away from the rack bars and totalizer wheels for coacting with certain of the rack bars, the combination of a remaining rack bar, a pawl for coacting with said, remaining rack bar to prevent movement thereof in one direction,

said pawl being mounted in the totalizer frame for enagement with and disengagement from said last-named rack bar.

4. In a listing machine having a plurality of uniform rac bars operable in a common plane, a plurality of separate printing devices simultaneously operable at the same printing line, each controlled by movement of one of the rack bars, a totalizer havin register wheels cooperating with some of t e rack bars, and means for moving said register wheels into and out of engagement with said last-named bars, the combination of a movable spindle carrying said re ister wheels, and pawl means mounted on said spindle for engaging one'of said rack bars for preventing movement thereof during total taking, but permitting movement thereof for itemprint- 5. In a listing machine having a plurality of uniform separate rack bars movable in a common plane each movable to nine different positions, a set of type controlled by each rack bar and comprising a different type character for eachposition of the rack bar, a totalizer having register wheels, mounted on a common shaft, cooperating with a part only of the rack bars, means for printing from type of all of the said sets simultaneously at the same printing line during the item accumulating operations of the totalizer, and means for moving said wheels into and out of contact with said last-named rack bars, the combination with said shaft of means mounted on said shaft for preventing movement of one pf said rack bars during the taking of the tota 6. In a listing machine having a separate movable rack bar for each order of the numbers to be printed, a separate set of figure type controlled by each of, said rack bars, a movable totalizer comprising register wheels mounted on a common shaft for cooperating with said rack bars during their movement in one direction for item accumulating, and during their movement in the other direction for total printing, the combination of an additional rack bar, a set of identifying character type controlled by said additional rack bar, and means on said shaft and movable with the totalizer to engage the said additional rack bar to prevent movement thereof in the lastmentioned direction when the register wheels are engaged with the first-mentioned rack- 

